Magic is just a breath away
by goldenrose3443
Summary: A new filly is born at Townsend Acres. Being the Grand-daughter of Ashleigh's Wonder and the daughter of Wonder's Pride, there are very high hopes for her. But when she goes into training all those hopes go down the drain. Brad Townsend unwillingly asks Ashleigh Griffen, a legend in the racing industry, to come and help. But even Ashleigh has doubts.
1. Ashleigh's return

**Hey everybody! This is something that I have been wanting to write for a while but I only just got the idea in my head! Please check out my other fanfics on my page, I have warrior fanfics there. **

**Chapter 1: Ashleigh's Return**

The sun shone bright and clear as Ashleigh Griffen drove down the long driveway of Townsend Acres. Townsend Acres was a famous breeding and training farm for thoroughbreds in Kentucky. Ashleigh had moved there when she was 12 after her family's own farm Edgardale had been sold after a virus had swept through and killed most of their stock. Ashleigh's parents had become breeding managers at Townsend Acres and had left 2 years later when they bought another breeding farm. Ashleigh was now 23 and still came to the farm frequently to visit her favourite mare 'Ashleigh's Wonder', whom Ashleigh had raised from just a sickly foal. Wonder had gone on to win many titles including Horse of the year and now resided at Townsend Acres as a broodmare, having already produced several winners such as her first foal 'Wonder's Pride'. Because of Ashleigh's efforts, Clay Townsend-the former owner of Townsend Acres- had given her half-ownership in the copper-coloured mare and any of her offspring.

Whoever, today Ashleigh hadn't come to see Wonder. Brad Townsend, the handsome arrogant son of Clay Townsend and new owner of Townsend Acres, had asked her to come and help with a new two year old that he had in training. Brad had made Ashleigh's life at Townsend Acres miserable and his father had turned a blind eye to most of it. However, Brad's father Clay Townsend had retired from running the farm a few months before leaving Brad to run the famous stud. Brad had been doing a surprisingly good job but had recently had difficulties with one new filly. She was the daughter of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Wonder's Pride, the two year old filly had been playing up on the training track and given several exercise riders a trip to the hospital. Brad had been desperate when he called Ashleigh at her husband Mike's farm Whitebrook. Being the grand-daughter of Wonder, Ashleigh had jumped at the chance to help train the filly and was now on her way to meet her.

Autumn leaves littered the grassy paddocks as Ashleigh made her way past her old house and the foaling barn. Townsend Acres was a huge facility made up of a mare and foal barn with small yearling and mare paddocks, a larger yearling barn, a training barn for all horses in any stage of training and competing and a smaller stallion barn. In addition, there was a large turf training track and acres of rolling white-fenced paddocks.

Ashleigh pulled up outside the training barn and walked over to where she saw Brad standing.

"Hi Ashleigh!" he called once he saw her.

"Long-time no see," Ashleigh called back. She gave Brad a friendly hug and walked with him into the training barn. Rows of beautiful thoroughbreds lined the aisle and Ashleigh patted the noses of several old friends as she passed. They made their way to the middle of the barn where Brad stopped in front of a stall with a brass name-plate reading "_Black Magic"_.

"Here she is," he said, gesturing towards the stall. Ashleigh looked in and gasped, a beautiful, tall filly stood facing her, dainty ears pricked towards her onlookers. Ashleigh could see where Brad had gotten her name from, the filly was almost jet-black, with deep, intelligent brown eyes that watched Ashleigh curiously.

"Well she certainly looks nothing like Wonder," Ashleigh commented looking back at Brad. Brad chuckled and started flicking through the training chart that was clipped to the wall beside Black Magic's stall. The filly definitely had Pride's beautiful conformation which the copper stallion had inherited from his mother, but her coat was like that of her dam Christmas Magic. Ashleigh studied the filly for a few more moments then turned back to Brad and he handed her the training schedule. She looked through it carefully and nodded at Brad.

"Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me," she said, smiling.


	2. Training

**Sorry it took so long to update but here I am! Please review and make me happy!**

**Chapter 2: Training**

Black Magic pawed the ground and lifted her dark velvet nose and huffed in the morning air. It was 5:30 a.m. and Ashleigh was about to start their first training session together.

"Easy girl," she murmured to the filly, tightening her grip on the reins and sliding her hand up them to catch under Magic's chin. Townsend Acres new head trainer, and Ashleigh's friend, Samantha Mclean jogged up to her.

"Hey Ashleigh," She panted once she reached them.

"Hi Sammy," Ashleigh said back. "What are we doing this morning?"

"Your decision," Samantha answered.

"How about I do two laps at a jog and then just lightly breeze her for a few furlongs?"

"Sounds good, do you need a leg up?" Samantha said. Ashleigh nodded and Samantha gave her a boost up. Once she was firmly in the saddle, Ashleigh checked all of her aids. She shortened her reins and brought Black Magic's head in slightly, she leaned forward into the jockey crouch and shortened her stirrups and clucked her tongue to make sure she had Magic's full attention. Knowing that the black filly had a history of trying to buck and throw her riders, Ashleigh took full precaution and sat down deep in the saddle, gripped tightly with her legs and twisted a fistful of Magic's mane around her fingers.

"Ready?" Samantha asked.

"OK, let's go!" Ashleigh said to the filly. They walked onto the track through the gap in the rails and Ashleigh nudged Black Magic into a trot. The tall filly responded well and was on her best behaviour along the way.

"Good girl Magic," Ashleigh whispered, watching the filly's ears flick backwards.

They trotted along the outside rail for one lap, then Ashleigh asked for a canter. Suddenly, Black Magic threw her head up and tried to catch the bit in her teeth. Ashleigh pulled back hard on the reins and tried to circle the excited horse.

"Easy girl, come on calm down," Ashleigh said, desperately trying to settle the filly. Magic finally settled and Ashleigh circled her before returning to a collected canter. They cantered down the stretch and Magic held her head high, watching all of the other thoroughbreds galloping along the inside rail.

Ashleigh intended to breeze Black Magic for half a mile (4 furlongs). She came to a stop at the gap in the fence and set Magic in the centre of the track. She nodded to Samantha who was holding the stop watch and shortened her reins, sliding into the jockey's crouch. Black Magic tossed her head, flipping her black mane into Ashleigh's face. Ashleigh looked out of the corner of her eye and caught sight of Samantha's hand come down, signalling for them to start.

"GO!" Ashleigh cried, kneading her hands along the filly's neck. She usually rode under a hand ride and only used the whip for certain horses and never hit the horse with the whip. Today she carried the whip but only intended to use it in the last furlong.

Black Magic exploded and pushed off with her powerful hind-quarters. Ashleigh slid her hands up the filly's sleek neck and leaned forward. She was amazed at the power and speed of the horse beneath her and marvelled at it as the roared down the backstretch. At the 3 furlong marker, Ashleigh flicked the whip past Magic's eye and the filly kicked in another gear and sprinted flat-out for another furlong. Ashleigh saw the half-mile marker flash past and stood in the stirrups, successfully slowing the filly to a canter.

"Good girl, that was wonderful!" Ashleigh cried. Black Magic tossed her elegant head and side-stepped. Ashleigh circled her and trotted back up to where Samantha was waiting, gobsmacked.

"I've never seen her run like that!" Sammy cried when Ashleigh dismounted.

"She was wonderful, and she still had lots more!" Ashleigh said. She checked Black Magic's legs for any abrasions and looked the filly all over for signs of exhaustion. She issued her with a clean bill of health and handed her to one of the exercise grooms.


End file.
